Kings of Mulberry Street

Aaqil Hoosen and Shaan Nathoo in a scene from 'Kings of Mulberry Street.'(Indigenous Film Distribution)

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:

It’s the early 80s, and two young Indian boys who have to find a way to overcome their differences and unite in order to defeat the bullying crime lord who’s threatening their families.

Feisty Ticky Chetty is a skinny kid who enjoys the outdoors, is creative and energetic, and has tons of street smarts. He lives in a Bollywood dream world, where he’s an unbeatable action hero, and rooftops are his kingdom. He’s looking for a partner in crime and sees a trainee in Baboo—chubby, bookish Baboo is equally imaginative and spirited!

Together, these two nine-year-old misfits decide to rid their community of the evil gangster, Raja, and soon discover that they have lots to learn from each other.

WHAT WE THOUGHT:

South Africa ranks amongst the top 5 countries in the world
in terms of its Indian population, and the vast majority live in Durban and
surrounds. The city itself is one of the stars of Kings of Mulberry Street,
the new feature film written and directed by acclaimed director and producer
Judy Naidoo.

The film tells the epic tale of Baboo and his best friend,
Ticky. Set in the fictional town of Sugarhill District in the early 80s, the
film was shot on location in Verulam and Tongaat in KwaZulu Natal, and parts of
the story highlight the amusing differences between “Durban Indians” and their
more worldly counterparts in Johannesburg.

Feisty Ticky (Aaqil Hoosen), born and bred in Durban, is the
archetypal Indian artful dodger – cheeky and daring with a streetwise swagger
and little respect for rules. He escapes the realities of his 80s Sugarhill
District existence by living in a Bollywood dream world where he’s an unbeatable
action hero. Rooftops are his kingdom.

Baboo and his father are well spoken, God-fearing
people.Their arrival in the Sugarhill
community is something of a shock, especially for the father. Ticky speaks in
typical Durban slang, saying “ek sê” repeatedly.Baboo’s father thinks they have landed in
hell.

Ticky and Baboo, however, are soon drawn together by the
shared threat of local bully and crime boss, Raja.

A delightful and hilarious adventure, with universal themes
that will appeal to the whole family, the film pays tribute to classic 80s Indian
cinema and their heroes. Visually colourful and vibrant, it’s also touching and
heart-warming.

The film brings together the vibrancy of the Indian
community in the 80s as well as Bollywood cinema and songs from that era, in a
tale that peers into the past through the prism of the present.